


Obsession.

by Hafwen



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Ruvik doesnt understand his feels, Work In Progress, growing obsession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-06 21:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6771334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hafwen/pseuds/Hafwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Ruvik has a growing interest in Sebastian.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a reader’s comment on my other fic who requested Ruvik becoming more and more obsessed with our detective. This will have multiple chapters and will be updated whenever I can be bothered to write. I’m going to be writing mostly from Ruvik's perspective. The story rating will be updated as needed.
> 
> Just a quick warning: This will not follow the order of events in the game. Also, I tend to write chapters that are only like 2k words long.
> 
> Enjoy.

 

I don’t know when it started, or why. I don’t know what caused it to happen or for what purpose.

For some reason, I have a new interest.

And that interest is Sebastian Castellanos.

I’ve been idle in my time within STEM. Perhaps that’s what caused it. I haven’t had many fresh minds at my disposal lately, and so it can be reasonably assumed that my psyche has grown careless.

 _I_ have grown careless.

Distance. I’ve always kept my distance when new prey enters my world, never getting too close. Not because I am afraid, oh no, that is not the case. It is because I had no reason to go near them.

I have had no reason to get closer to those minds whose constant thoughts permeated the sanctity of this place. STEM allows me to be aware of every conscious thought within, whether I want to know them or not. It is easy to enter the inner realms of their minds without them being aware of it, and so there has never been a reason to become more involved.

Sebastian Castellanos has no redeeming qualities.

He is a detective; a do-gooder who holds justice most important above all.

He is a broken man; his life’s been turned upside down in the past with the loss of his late wife and child.

He is an addict; not only is he a smoker but he is also quick to turn to alcohol.

He is…different. Though the way he is different escapes me. I cannot pinpoint what it is about him that I have been drawn to.

There have been many cases of hurt and broken people entering STEM; they’ve all been given to me like meat tossed to a dog. And each of them have received the same treatment. Each of them submits to the laws of this world. They crumble, their minds weaken, and they fall under my control easily.

I hold no feelings for them. They are simply things I use to make myself stronger. I care not for their trivial life struggles or their passions.

However…it is true I have been careless.

It should be no different with Sebastian Castellanos. I should observe him from afar as I have done with the others and be content. I should be content with being a fly on the wall to his thoughts, emotions, feelings. I should be content…

But something is lurking. Something in my own conscious that I can’t see. Something beyond the periphery that eludes me. I don’t understand what it is, but it draws me to the detective whose now stuck here. Just like me.

But, not for long. It will be time soon.

Soon, I’ll be free in the real world.

Soon, I can exact my revenge.

I must be patient, however. For now, I will observe.

 

 ---

 

He’s gone again to find the young Leslie. I watch from the shadows of the world, fine with watching him as he seeks out his goal.

Something in me feels disgust at his current target. _Irrational_ , I think.

Sebastian has turned a corner out of my sight, and I follow. He’s walking along an empty street, kicking over rubble in his path and climbing over busted vehicles. A quick scan of his thoughts tells me he’s making a beeline for the tall sky scraper ahead of him.

He apparently has a “gut feeling” that Leslie resides within.

His deduction is true, though it is concerning. I’m unsure how he could have any sort of sense that tells him where Leslie is, but I won’t bother myself with it much. I’ll admit all qualities of STEM are still not known to me. Perhaps by being connected he has been endowed with improved senses.

Maybe this is one of those things about the detective that has drawn me to him…?

I shake myself mentally from the thought. Control. Stability. I must have them in this place, or it will crumble. I can’t allow myself to be _too_ careless, after all. Lest I lose myself.

I conjure up a few corpses for Sebastian to deal with. I know they won’t kill him. He’s stocked up on supplies and rested from visiting his inner sanctum through a broken mirror he’d found.

The horde won’t be too much trouble for him; they’re more for my own benefit, at any rate. Something to focus on besides the man. Something to put energy into, instead of watching idle…

Idleness is a sin, isn’t it?

 

\---

 

Sebastian Castellanos can handle pressure. His mind is strong and resists everything I throw at him. He evaluates his situation and finds solutions in them with relative ease.

The corpses did not stand a chance. I survey the scene, invisible to him, from atop a nearby building. How many times have I done this?

The detective raises his gun at a corpse on his left, taking it down with one shot before gliding his arm to the right to take aim at another. The man was a gunslinger if I ever saw one. He has skill. It’s brutal, but it’s there. It’s not the grace of a natural born killer but he’s adapted in the short time he’d been here. That’s good. It just means he’ll be around longer for me to study.

I contemplate my actions. I’ve been watching him for a while at this point. He hasn’t noticed my presence yet, though by reading his thoughts I am aware he feels eyes on him. He’s concerned by it, but he can’t find a source, so it’s pushed to the back of his mind.

Sebastian is the type of man to prioritize. And sometimes, it’s thrilling to witness. I enjoy guessing at what the man will do in certain situations; what he is willing to sacrifice and what choices he makes. It’s almost like a game to me, though for him it means the different between life and death in many instances.

Perhaps my interest in him stems from some sadistic desire to watch him struggle.

Though, truth be told, I’ve never outright tried to end him. I’ve avoided bringing up the more damaging scars from his past that could easily crush his spirit. No, I don’t think that’s where it’s coming from…

Perhaps it’s the way he brushes his hand through his tangled hair after a fight, as he did just now?

My eyes train themselves on the movement. He was heated, though not sweating profusely. The threat hadn’t been large enough to become worked up over; he was used to it. The strands of his hair fell into place along his hairline, looking neater though obviously not styled with care. The look suited Sebastian.

I keep my eyes on him, watching the way he stretches the muscles in his arms and back after tossing his guns around his frame during the altercation. They move lithe under his attire, and I have another irrational feeling. The feeling creeps around slowly since I’m unwilling to acknowledge it. But I know it’s there. A desire to see more of the man.

I ignore it. I’ve found myself doing so more and more lately as they have been recurring frequently. Perhaps they will go away with more observation. I wonder if I observe the detective enough will my scientists curiously be sated.

Sebastian is leaning against the stoop of an apartment now, across from my position on the roof, counting his ammunition. He knows he has enough to last a while but of course it’s never a good idea to use them haphazardly. He’s not an idiot. He wouldn’t’ have survived this long had he been one.

Something in his demeanor changes though, and I notice it instantly. He’s scanning the area with his sharp eyes, trying to see…what? His mind reveals no answers to me at first, but I’m surprised when I’m suddenly the focus of his thoughts.

Ruvik. Worry. Ruvik. Panic. Ruvik. Fight. Ruvik. Flee. Ruvik.

Oh. Perhaps I should have hidden myself better.

His eyes are on me now. His striking gaze is boring into my own from below; mind contemplating how to handle the situation. Currently, I’m not a direct threat, but I’m new to him. He doesn’t know what to think of me other than the few moments I’ve let him see me in the past.

Sebastian is tense. He’s thinking about raising his gun and taking a shot. I don’t give him the chance.

With minimal effort I’m on the ground with him, blinking out of his gaze before he jerks back in surprise. A yelp finds its way out of his throat and I memorize the sound. I’ve never heard him make such a vulnerable noise when faced with the beasts I’ve tossed his way. I wrap my conscious thought around it and store it within my mind with care.

He’s raised his gun now, finger on the trigger. I can tell he’s hesitant; that do-gooder nature is holding him back. Instead of firing a useless shot at me he speaks, and I listen intently to the serious voice that rubs against my eardrum.

“Ruvik.” Sebastian states blandly. There’s little emotion in the way he states my title, though I feel excitement.

I don’t reply, unwilling to break the tension that’s settled. That, and I want to hear him speak again.

“What do you want?” He seems slightly exasperated, though his voice is laced with something. The tension that’s wrapped around him? Or the unease that’s found its way into his gut?

I stay silent. Sometimes, I find my silence is a better way to examine his reactions. Without stimulant it is thrilling to see where his mind leads him.

Sebastian is wondering “what the fuck” I’m doing there. He’s thinking that I want to fight with him, but in truth I don’t. I admit I’m not sure why I came down here with him. I blame my curiosity for getting the better of me.

“What?” He says in plain irritation, “You got nothing to say to me? You just wanna show up to fuck with me again? Play some kind of game with me?”

This time I do reply.

“Would you like me to play games with you?”

He scoffs, but his expression hardens quickly. “I’d like you to leave me the hell alone, to be honest. I’m not interested in any game you’re playing.”

“But you’re playing right now.”

He narrows his eyes at me, “Whatever game this is, I’m _not_ interested. Stop distracting me.”

“I distract you, Sebastian?”

He doesn’t reply, and I can tell he won’t play the game any longer. Pity.

I allow myself to disappear back to the shadows, but not without leaving behind a few doppelganger versions of myself to _really_ distract him. I never did enjoy losing at games.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this first chapter sucks I wrote it @ 2am. If you have any specific requests for this let me know. I live for comments.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Ruvik passes his time, and a moment of panic.

 

I suppose that is enough distraction for me at the moment. It’s not good to dwell on the man’s movements too long. I have to remember the distance.

I find myself wandering. It’s something I’ve been doing more often lately as I have little else to occupy my time with. I wade through my mind; through the recesses which the other occupants of this world cannot access.

Memories.

Facts.

Sensations.

I feel them all with little interest as I traverse around them. At least until I choose to analyze and go deeper within the parts I hide even from myself.

I refrain from doing so.

Acutely aware of what I have hidden, I ignore those pieces of myself as I always do. While connected to STEM, I only skim the surface, unwilling to examine myself closer for fear that I will become too tangled within my own thoughts.

It has almost happened once. I nearly caused my own destruction when I first became trapped within my own brain. Without a body, my mind only had itself and the slim remnants of sensations it could remember. I became enthralled with pulling myself apart piece by piece, as I had done with my test subjects. The only thing that drew me out of my own ruin had been the new minds which entered my world. A much needed diversion, I should admit.

I often wonder if that is why I became interested in Sebastian Castellanos. Because, in a way, he had been saving me. Though that probably is not the best term for it. No, in truth, he was a mere interruption for my own mind to grab onto while it was trapped within itself. Perhaps he had not saved me, though the effect is similar.

However, that does not explain why I have not been drawn to the others who came with him. His partner, Joseph Oda, is simply a nosey presence within the world. He searches for “clues” much like a rat does for crumbs. He is just as desperate.

Juli Kidman is another matter.  I am aware of her presence as well, though it is muted. Mobius has their methods. I will deal with her when the time comes. It won’t be long. I’ve already calculated their goals.

Scanning a different part of my mind, I focus on the memories of my dealings with Mobius. Their plots, actions, betrayals. They all reside in feelings of stark anger and distrust within myself. I dare not open this section up further. If I did…perhaps everything would be torn asunder, including myself? Those feelings could tear through everything; destroy this place with ease if only I freed it. If I let my emotions cloud my mind, would it be as disastrous as the great flood when “God” was sick of humanity? I wonder if I could cause a similar occurrence.

I’m wandering again, to thoughts less fueled by anger and more contemplative.  

 

\---

 

The way I spend time is of little importance. Time is nearly indescribable within my world; there is the now, but the “now” could change to the “then” in an instant. It is easy to lose myself because of this. Time is ever changing and never stays the same. Neither does the scene in which I find myself.

It is impossible for me to stop myself from causing this. I have become better at controlling my thoughts, but stopping them altogether has proved fruitless to me.

This is why I find myself drawing closer to Detective Castellanos again.

It is easy to find the man. Not only is he one of the few solid minds left within this place, but it is as if his very essence maintains a strong embodiment on its own. I wouldn’t be capable of shutting his thoughts out even if I tried. Not when they are so tempting to examine, anyway.

He’d just finished with a fight against my Keeper. Feeling bold, I choose to enter the dim room with him, using the shadows to my benefit. Sebastian has a deductive mind, though he cannot see what is expertly hidden from him.

He’s tired, that’s blatantly obvious. It appears he’s suffered a few blows from the Keeper although he’s still moving forward quickly. He’s always moving forward. Always taking my interest with him wherever he goes.

Again I wonder if _this_ is why I have a desire to follow. His nature of pushing forward and not giving in to the world around him is so different from the others who have come before him. They had all given up; allowed their minds to succumb to their experiences. They became husks and lost themselves. But Sebastian doesn’t allow this to happen.

The man is not without his faults, or the times in which he feels fear and hopelessness. No, he certainly has enough of those moments. But he does not allow them to wrap around his mind. He brushes each of them off, as if they were like biting flies.

Sebastian is feeling pride in himself at the moment, which is why my consciousness suddenly flew to his own. In defeating the Keeper again he experienced strength- strength which is improving. He feels more powerful against his foes and like he can gain the upper hand. It’s an interesting feeling, pride, and I allow it to soak into myself through him. Calm yet dynamic in nature.

However, despite his pride he still can’t shake the underlying feeling that the action is wrong. The detective isn’t one who normally takes pride in taking a life, though unbeknownst to him the Keeper cannot be killed so easily. He often questions if what he is doing is wrong, though he knows he has little choice but to follow the rules of the world. It is kill or be killed, even he is aware of this fact.

Sebastian is getting closer to Leslie. The boy had been occupying this building for some time, hiding from the monsters he can handle if he only _thinks_ of doing so. By being connected to my own consciousness previously, Leslie has the ability to gain some semblance of power here, though given his mental state he cannot fathom it. It makes him weak, but he isn’t weak enough to allow his mind to fall. He would be dangerous to me if not for the fact that I am aware of each of his thoughts.

Leslie is currently feeling Sebastian’s own presence, another shared gift. His feet pad along the cold cement as they both search for each other. The outcome is inevitable, and so is my distaste. Something about Sebastian finding Leslie in this place gives me a sour feeling. I can’t place it. I naturally ignore it.

It is not long however, before the feeling returns with a vengeance. Sebastian’s mind is full of thoughts of finding the boy, and my own mind cringes away from it as if burned. Though, it is a burn that I quickly label as dissatisfaction. It is slow burning: a rancid flavor in the back of the throat that threatens to spill and turn the world black. I contemplate doing so for a few moments before reining myself in.

I wrap the feeling up and shove it into the far spaces of my consciousness. But it can’t be helped. 

Sebastian is getting closer and closer, they are nearly on the same floor of the sky scraper now. Leslie traversing down as the detective goes upward. The building is large, some 30 floors tall with many different rooms on each, so it is not an easy feat for them. It is their sense of urgency that is driving them. This sense is pushing Sebastian faster, allowing him to take down my creations quickly.

The negative feeling is growing within me, and I have a strange desire to halt their progress. In an instant, a wall forms on the floor between them before they can reach each other.

Leslie arrives at the floor first, coming face to face with the wall and looking at it as if it’s a great surprise to him. I am unsure how he knows it was not there before, but he looks at it quizzically.

His mind tells him it does not belong.

It does not belong.

It does not belong…

Leslie is looking away from the wall now, to the shadows around him. It seems he is aware I’m watching him, though he can’t find me. I wonder what he would do if he did. I don’t give him the satisfaction, and turn my attention away. Let the little lost boy find a new path.

Sebastian has no such inclinations when he arrives on the same floor, on the other side of the wall. He simply ignores it and keeps going upward on another route. It takes him further from Leslie, but both of them are determined, and so I don’t indulge myself by creating more obstacles.

 

\---

 

A short time passes as I’m watching the detective. He’s worked up a sweat now, the beads traveling from his hairline down his neck into the back of his shirt. I have another inclination to follow them, and it is another feeling which I push aside. I’ve allowed my curiosity enough freedom.

A sigh passes Sebastian’s lips and greets my ears. It’s a soft sound, one that doesn’t belong in this place. I watch him turn around, a new path at the forefront of his mind.

It seems my earlier interference caused more trouble for him than I thought it would. I can’t deny the sense of satisfaction it’s awarded me even if it is rather fleeting.

Sebastian has been going up and down and up and down flights of stairs for some time now. He was already tired before starting and now he appears positively exhausted. He's consistently wiping at his forehand with the back of his hand every few minutes. His sighs are becoming more frequent. His thoughts are losing their sharp focus, no longer full of thoughts of finding the boy; at this point what he wants to do is sit down or find a mirror to escape into...

There _is_ a mirror nearby; directly below him on the previous floor he had gone through. Though, when he passed it earlier he hadn’t noticed it. He had resorted to calling out to Leslie in order to find him instead of inspecting every room. Yes, he was wearing out. Mistakes like that cannot be easily afforded. 

Strangely, I now find myself itching with a desire to push him towards the mirror. It would take him far away from Leslie... However, it is also a sanctuary for him which is difficult for me to follow as his consciousness goes to an entirely different place in an instant. For this reason alone I hesitate. I’m too engrossed in his actions. I want to see more.

I conjure up a horde of zombies and place them on the floors above and below him, filling the halls and rooms. I’ve grown bored of this search mission.

Sebastian picks up on the added movement in an instant. I know he hears the shuffling of corpses nearby and I watch as his stance changes. His body tenses; arms up with gun held tightly in his calloused hands. I’m engrossed; my full attention is on the man and I couldn't possibly look away for one second. 

I/m watching as Sebastian takes out a corpse which had surprised him. It lashed out from behind a black doorway and nearly caused him to drop his gun. He's shot it in the head in irritation after a moment of shock. The detective is checking through the doorway with care. His previous exhaustion seems to have evaporated now in this high-stress situation. He quickly takes out zombie after zombie and goes through each room, examining them as I do him. He’s being very precise, looking around doorways and hallways as I follow him with my gaze. He seems to be oblivious to me as his focus is so strong.

The corpses begin to dwindle in this area thanks to his skill at handling them easily. He does take out a few with his knife though; shoving it into the brain and twisting until he hears the satisfying squelch that tells him he’s succeeded in a kill. Silent and efficient.

I follow as the man backtracks the way he had come, though his path is blocked by roving haunts. He can’t find a straight shot through them, and attempts to weave through rooms to avoid confrontation.

Ah. I see the problem now.

He’s run out of bullets for his smaller gun and pistol. All he’s got left is 4 shots with a revolver, which would most _certainly_ attract the beings he’s currently avoiding.

A corpse shuffles toward him during my realization, and he can’t take it down with stealth. He's grappling with it, trying to stay silent and subdue it without the others picking up on the harsh movements. He stabs at the creature, wounding it although it’s not a fatal hit. It takes a few more agonizing moments of maneuvering and close fighting before he can finally jam his knife in the skull to the hilt.

Panting, the exertion he’s feeling is taking a heavy toll on him. I, somehow, have a feeling of concern myself. Peculiar. I created these beings for him to struggle against, though now I nearly wish I hadn’t. Something is off. I can’t figure this feeling out. I’m not sure, all of a sudden…

Am I about to lose my distraction…?

My mind curls around the thought instantly and I feel a sense of panic. I can’t. I can’t lose this. I can’t let him perish. I need to watch him. I need to examine him. I need to satisfy my curiosity in watching this man. He _cannot_ be allowed to perish.

There are corpses all over this floor, and now I realize my error in judgement. I should have just ignored the man and allowed him to find Leslie.

I quickly make a new route for Sebastian to take, taking care not to let him notice. Giving his mind a gentle nudge in the direction I want him to go - I guide him past the corpses, into the dim of the hallway that contains a lavatory.

Watching Sebastian quickly dash inside the restroom; I already know he’s made a beeline for the mirror. I enter not a second behind him, not bothering to hide myself as I see the light engulf him. He’s unaware of my presence even as he finally disappears from my sight. Off to a place I cannot follow.

A sound passes my lips and I realize it’s a sigh. Perhaps Sebastian’s habit had rubbed off on me.

Just then, a corpse waltzes into the bathroom and lets out a deep groan.

I find I can relate.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea if you guys like how I'm writing this so any feedback would be 100%. Let me know if you like the first person approach for Ruvik. Also yes, this is gonna be more of a slow-build thing full of emotional stuff for the both of them.


	3. Chapter 3

 

As soon as Sebastian had gone I realized my mistake.

Standing dumbly in front of the mirror, I risked a glance at myself. Unsightly; Normal.

My emotions got the better of me. Yet again.

I should have allowed the detective to suffer. I should have taken pleasure from his ending. I should have permitted my creations to rip the man asunder and consume his raw material. I cursed myself where I stood in the lavatory.

But I didn’t…

I didn’t stop myself. I didn’t think. I didn’t pause.

Just allowed myself to give into what I felt in that split second. The split second of panic and confused desperation. Truly it was only a moment of fault that had led me to act.

My mind was reeling. I’d never before done such an outright act of mercy. Ruvik Victoriano had allowed a man to live. I gave him an exit – practically forced it upon him. There would have been no difference between what I had just done and physically dragging his body to face the mirror.

In truth, I shocked myself. And what was the point?

What was the point in giving the man a way out? His time here would come to an end just like all of those that came before him. What did it matter if it happened later? Or sooner?

I question myself but come up with the same answer. I did not want him to end here.

I knew it, but again I feel the need to suppress it. The need to smother and choke it.

Castellanos was quickly burrowing his way into my mind and _that_ should be concerning. _That_ should be the thing that gives me cause for alarm. _That_ should be the thing which terrified me. Not the fact that the man would no longer be roaming freely through this world.

I quake from within my thoughts, pulses coming forth from the inner mind and shaking the world. In my mind’s eye I can see the earthquakes, the moving tectonic plates, the destructing being created outside. I let it happen for a moment as I take in my emotions, trying to calm my mind as best I can, gasping quietly with the effort.

Something is very very wrong with me. But I'm even sure if I could stop it, or if I even want to. 

I’d managed to stop the tremors that wracked my constant thoughts. Thinking too deeply was dangerous at the moment. Control. Control… I was in control. This is my realm. And I rule everything within. And repeat.

I was abruptly shaken from these thoughts when I noticed another presence. Leslie stood in the doorway, looking sullen as ever. Gripping the side of the wall, his nervousness evident on his pale face. That face was looking at me as if he could read my thoughts.

As if he could ever understand me.

I don’t say anything, I just let him stand there in the silence as he brings his thoughts together. I refrain from reading them; perhaps he will interest me if I keep it a surprise.

The boy opens his tender mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He closes it again. Opens it again. It is a few more seconds of this before he gains the nerve to actually communicate.

“Ruvik.”

Of course that’s all he would be able to say. I feel disappointment and make for the exit.

But he steps in front of me in an attempt to block my path.

“What can you do, Leslie?” My attitude seeps into my voice, and I sneer. I’m in front of him now and he has his hands up, in a gesture that’s made to look like surrender. It doesn’t look right on him. It makes his naturally small frame appear even more fragile. More breakable. How have you survived this long, I wonder…?

“Ruvik made…Ruvik is…” Leslie says.

I continue to ignore his persistent thoughts that knock against my mind, though I’m picking up feelings of urgency now.

“What is it? You have something to tell me, I assume.” This conversation is bland. 

He looks up from his outstretched arms and locks his gaze onto mine. His eyes are red, but they’re not dull. He looks determined, in his own sort of way.

“Sebastian!” He states, as if the man’s mere name were the answer to the universe.

“What of him? He’s gone through the mirror. He left you.”

Leslie looks away from me, his glossy eyes trained on the shining surface on the wall. I get the feeling he wants to follow the man, but I’m unaware if he is even able to do so.

“Left you…Left you…” He repeats, “…Left _you_.”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“Yes, he left you, now step aside.”

“Left _Ruvik!”_

I suddenly have the urge to throw the boy into the mirror. Somehow I feel as though he’s talking _too much._ I grit my teeth and stare him down. My gaze doesn’t seem to affect him this time though, and he doesn’t do so much as cower.

“Nonsense.” I say - to him or myself I’m not sure, and I walk right through the boy’s body.

That finally gets a reaction from him and he puts a hand to his small chest, head swiveling to watch me leave.

“So-sorry…” He says.

I don’t even know what he’s sorry for.

 

\---

 

Exiting the building, I look over the city outside. To someone not paying attention it would seem like it was still in as much ruin as ever. But I’ve examined it many times and know everything that occurs within. The city is changed, buildings moved halfway across the horizon and new destruction put in place. It seems my momentary lapse caused more damage than I originally assumed.

Walking along the gravel strewn about the road, I don’t feel the jagged edges or sharp cuts of the stones. One of the benefits of being in control in STEM; I can tune it out. I can block the pain or anything I don’t care for. Mostly.

I can’t stop myself from feeling altogether, though I try. There is no preemptive measure for emotions I don’t know will occur within myself or within other minds, which is why control is so vital. You can’t stop something here until after it’s already happening.

Continuing in this direction, I find myself standing atop one of the tallest of the skyscrapers. This one is particularly battered; most of the windows appear to be blown out and shattered, the glittering remains in broken pieces lying far below.

Standing on the edge of the roof, I pay little attention to the the decorative cement blocks that are chipped and dusty below my feet.

There’s a breeze up here; my mind seems to be able to create such aspects of the world I remember without me even thinking of it. It gently brushes past my face and I close my eyes, soaking in the chill before I feel it slip my hood off onto my shoulders. I tremble and tell myself it’s from the cold and not the fact that I feel exposed without the hood up.

My mind slips back into thinking about the interest I’ve formed recently. I find myself wondering what the detective is doing at the moment, if he is still within his safe ward, if he’s stocking up on supplies, if he’s bettering his abilities.

I bring a hand to my face and peer between my fingers through lidded eyes. Seeing but not really looking at the expanse before me.

I can hardly remember what I’d normally be doing at this moment. Wandering my mind, thoughts consumed with thoughts of…Laura, perhaps. Anger, definitely. Mobius. My experiments, test subjects. Testing the limits of STEM. It’s capabilities. At present each of these seem trivial in comparison to my current interest.

Putting my hood back into place and reaching out into the world, I search for conscious thought that doesn’t belong to me. The first one I come across is Leslie, but I ignore him. The next one feels anxious but determined.  Joseph Oda. I latch onto his emotions and thoughts as I look through his eyes. He’s rooting through drawers in a bank a few streets over. He doesn’t believe he will find anything worthwhile but it’s in his nature to comb the place over.

He’s nowhere near as interesting to examine as Sebastian, but the more insight I have into each of their mannerisms the better. A second of concentration later and I materialize in the room with Joseph, watching him do his job from the shadows. He’s quiet; going through each room with care. Turning over everything in order to find absolutely nothing at all.

Oda doesn’t sigh as much as Sebastian does, though unlike his absent partner he occasionally writes worthless notes. His handwriting is neat and tidy throughout the pages and I’m tempted to rip them out from his little book when he isn’t paying attention.

Detective Oda is not a courageous man. His heart makes great leaps at many of the noises he hears and I busy myself with placing a couple of corpses in the room ahead of him to see what he does.

He’s nearly got the door to the room open when he hears the shuffling of their feet. Immediately, he closes the door and braces himself. His thoughts are erratic and seem frightened, but a moment later he opens the door a crack to peek inside and assess the situation. One corpse far left on the other side of the room. He doesn’t spot the second one that’s closer on the right side.

He goes for stealth, slipping quietly into the room and tip-toeing to the other side. The corpse he hadn’t taken stock of shuffles quickly towards him, and I feel the man's fear as his eyes widen in shock behind his glasses. He nearly screams in surprise but reacts quickly, pulling out his gun with gloved fingers and shooting the corpse in the head. The haunt he was originally going after finally takes notice and charges for him; slashes at him with its outstretched hands and rips a hole in his sleeve as he attempts to block it. Using his agility, Oda climbs over a desk to get space between them.

Raising his gun, he ends the short life of the second corpse with 2 blows to the head.

I've noticed by this point this detective is panting more from his nerves than any physical exertion.

I can’t say the man is totally unprepared for this world. He’s not a natural fighter; choosing to go with stealth and only confronting obstacles when he has to. Though he is still efficient when he has to be. I suppose that’s why he’s still around to help Sebastian “solve” the case.

It's time for some real play.

“You’re going to fail.” I say into the room, from beyond the darkness where he can’t see me.

He whips around quickly, scanning, but I’m invisible to him.

“Ruvik!” He shouts, gun raised as if it could provide adequate protection against me, “Where are you? Show yourself."

“You won’t be able to help.” I say ignoring his command.

“I’m going to solve this and get out of here whether you like it or not, Ruvik. You can’t hold us here forever and you _will_ be brought to justice for your crimes.”

“The only crime I’ve committed is allowing you to live this long.” Joseph tightens the death grip he’s already got on his gun.

“The countless murders, mutilations, and tortures you’ve inflicted on people.” Joseph says, eyes still searching the shadows.

“Shall I inflict them on you? I wonder how Sebastian would act if he found your body lying cold and dead in pieces. Or what he would do, were he forced to end your life himself when you finally turn?”

Joseph doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I see I’ve struck a nerve. The mental cogs turn, turn, turn. His eyes go dark behind his glasses and his gun lowers a fraction.

“He’ll do what he has to do.” Joseph says quietly, “If I turn--”

“ _When_ you turn.”

Joseph clenches his teeth at my interruption and adjusts his hold on his gun; there’s quiet anger evident by his posture.

“I’ll beat it **and** you!”

I feel compelled to laugh but I resist, and instead I make myself visible to him. Immediately he takes a few shots at me, useless as they can’t hit their mark, and I quickly exit through a door in the corner of the room. Predictably he gives chase, shouting my name and attempting to shoot me again; but I ignore the bullets and lead him deeper into the darkness of the bank's rooms.

Walking into one of the many open vaults, he follows me blindly, too interested in getting information out of his "prime suspect" to read the situation. His situation which is about to take a turn for the worse.  

As soon as he’s inside, I leave him.

By my will the vault shuts and latches.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what’s hard? Writing slow build fics.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Being Joseph is suffering” and “Leslie is too pure for this world” in a nutshell.

 

I pause for a moment and listen to the sounds of distress coming from the bank vault. Joseph Oda has only been in there for a few seconds but the panic he’s feeling is obvious. I suppose the little detective should have assessed his situation better. How will he stay alive for Sebastian if he can’t even look where he’s going? He’ll be useless to him if he doesn’t shape up.

Joseph is pounding his fists against the door and shouting for me. Of course he’s not thinking clearly. I won’t do it for him – he can figure out how to open the complicated lock mechanism himself.

Or turn into one of my mindless haunts that much quicker.

I turn my back on Joseph and the vault to exit the bank, exiting out onto a smaller city street. The road is mostly deserted; I havn’t thought to place any creatures around here so it’s quiet. My feet carry me down the road as I examine the scene.

In the real world, this street may be full of people skittering about. The apartments on either side could contain many different types of people going through their daily lives. Watching tv, making dinner, sitting down with loved ones. They could be doing all manner of things outside my mind at this very moment, nothing stopping them aside from local traffic or construction.

I can’t imagine myself among them. I could never fit in with normal people. They would stare at me and form their own judgements of my character. And what would I even be doing…?

I wouldn’t be trying to fit in among them, at any rate. I have my plans for when I’m in the outside world and none of them include anything domestic.

Shaking my head at my own thoughts, I notice I’ve come to the end of the road where a small park lies. I am aware that children often use these places and their devices for amusement. I have never had the opportunity myself. At this stage in my life I can gain nothing from such a place, but I find myself drawn to it anyway. I suppose there's no time like the "present"...

I’ve seen these used in passing. The swing set before me holds a few seats attached to its metal frame, some swaying only slightly as no one is partaking in their function. Slowly approaching, I put my hands out onto the chains attached to one of them, and let my fingers run over the cold links of metal.

Putting aside my pride, I won’t allow myself to miss any more experiences. I let myself sit on the swing.  My bare feet are firm below me in order to keep my balance, and my weight settles. Feeling confident, I raise them slightly from the ground.

My body weight swivels the swing around in the air a bit and I grip the chains more tightly in my fists, but I don’t put my feet back down. After a moment of just dangling, I start to sway myself forward and backward, as I recall seeing children doing. The swing moves accordingly, and I feel a sense of excitement in myself for mastering such a simple function. The swing takes me higher into the air, and there is a breeze created around me as I go forward and backward. I’m careful not to overestimate my weight, and stop myself before I can lose any control. I cease my movements and the swing slows down significantly before I bring it to a halt with my feet.

It would seem someone is watching.

I look over in the direction of the mind that’s knocking against my own to see none other than Leslie. Guess he got tired of looking for Sebastian. He appears fine enough; that nervous demeanor of his is still present as always. Though, his spirits seem considerably raised from the last time I’d seen him.

Leslie slowly scuttles closer to where I’m sitting, and he looks to one of the swings next to me. He’s contemplating sitting down as well, and despite the fact that I don’t make any motion to tell him it’s fine, he does so anyway. I suppose his excitement got the better of him.

His movements are tight and small; like he doesn’t want to encourage my wrath. It’s almost funny given the situation. Leslie doesn’t say anything about it; just sits down on the swing directly next to mine and holds the chains in the same fashion. A silence settles between us for a long moment before he breaks it.

“Ruvik…is happy?” Leslie says.

Am I happy?

“Why do you ask?”

“Swinging” he says simply.

“Hm.”

“Swinging is happy!” He explains, and proceeds to do so.

I don’t say anything else, content to just allow the swing to hold my weight as I watch Leslie swing himself back and forth. For once he seems confident. I’m slightly surprised before I remember that Leslie is more like a child than anyone else within STEM. He can enjoy himself in this place momentarily even if the others can’t.

I suppose there are some things he understands that even I don’t.

 

\---

 

I grew bored of simply watching Leslie after a while, and so I joined him in his movements. Like before, I swung myself back and forth in order to make the swing go higher and higher. I feel the familiar breeze on my feet once again as I fly through the air, my body nearly horizontal as I look to the sky above.

Leslie was still swinging content next to me, though it seemed he was being cautious. He noticed how much higher I was than him at this point and was now trying to match the pace of his swing with my own.

My thoughts wandered as I continue to swing, back to thoughts of Sebastian again. By this time he had to have been out of his safe ward and within my reach once more.

I’ve been here long enough.

I began to slow myself down, letting the last of the momentum run out as I come to a stop. Leslie was still going, though it appeared he wasn’t so enraptured by the swing at this point. He was just beginning to slow do-

Leslie jumped from the swing.

In a split second I moved in front of Leslie in order to catch his falling body. I gripped his thin frame before he could hit the ground, perhaps a bit more forcefully than I needed.

“Leslie, are you truly so moronic?” I scolded him once I was sure he was secured. I know I look furious.

I peer into his open face, a scowl on my own. Leslie himself had the audacity to look affronted.

“Le-“

“No! Ruvik stopped me!” Leslie cried, scrambling out of my arms to stand for himself.

“What-“

“Fine!” He cried at me. Fine!”

Confused, I reach into his mind and realize what was happening.

Leslie was mad that I caught him before he could hit the ground. He _had_ been fine. He jumped himself, and was going to land on the ground. By himself. I put a hand to my face and pinched the bridge of my nose. Leslie was pouting now and walking away from me. It seems I still can’t control my actions today. 

 

\---

 

Putting all thoughts of Leslie behind me, I sought out Sebastian. It feels like it has been too long since I was last able to observe him in my world and I'm curious to see what he’s busying himself with. His consciousness is a beacon to me and I a helpless moth.

I draw near to his location, and it is apparent the man is having a problem.

He’s currently in a fight with dear Laura. This form of her, that is. The form that I had given her in my rage against Mobius. The form that I want them to fear.

For now though, it’s just Sebastian who has to go up against her. But he isn’t really fighting at this point. From my place in the shadows, I can see Sebastian is running down a hallway, trying to escape her. This is the first time he’s come across her form and his thoughts are full of words like “Spider” “Limbs” and “Terrifying.” Not a good enough description for Laura by any means, but he’s in a panic, so I let it go.

Backtracking the way he had come, a wayward corpse makes a grab for him, but Sebastian dodges it quickly right as Laura swings for him. She grabs the corpse instead and the detective sprints forward, trying to get distance between them while she’s distracted. 

Idly, I wonder what will happen. I know Sebastian can’t kill Laura, not really, but Laura could certainly end him. She’s quick unlike the Keeper, cunning as well. And rightfully so. She’s always been that way.

Sebastian is still sprinting, and I notice his destination. He’s trying to get into the open elevator before she can catch him. She’s too quick for that, though.

She’s on him as soon as the door closes. I watch silently as her limbs slip easily through the metal doorframe of the elevator and her long fingers wrap around Sebastian’s neck. She’s squeezing tightly, and Sebastian’s breathing is becoming labored as he’s starting to die. I see how dire his situation is and I let myself feel what he’s feeling for a moment before taking any sort of action.

It’s painful. So painful. I can’t breathe and my neck hurts. My vision is blurry. I can't see.

I quickly release his mind from my own with a gasp, and my hand instinctively goes to my throat. My breathing is harsher and thoughts and emotion flood my mind in an instant.

Pain. Worry. Fear.  The emotions are cloudy and ruining my thoughts. Sebastian may die here. He may cease to exist in my world if Laura conti-

_No._

Sebastian is just a pawn. He’s just like the others. I remind myself of this over and over and over, _constantly_ , and yet still I feel this weariness. What is going on? Why do I care so much if this foolish detective ends here? _Why?_

Why am I so _obsessed_ with him?

Without thinking, I place a single thought in Sebastian’s mind. He instantly knows he can reach the elevator buttons next to his arm.

He smashes a clenched fist against the panel of buttons, and the elevator begins to move downward. I look away as two of Laura’s arms are sliced from her body.

I raise both hands to my face.

_Fool._

When will I learn? Sebastian is here with a duty. He’s here to stop me and to put an end to my plans. He’s still doesn't know what exactly Mobius is and everything they are capable of but he is still technically a nuisance to me. So _why_ then do I exert my influence when he is in danger?

Sebastian does not know a single thing about STEM and what I’m able to accomplish with it. He could easily be under my control. He’s already been subject to my influence. This world within my mind is of my own making and bends to my will. And all of the minds within it are at my mercy. Including his. I try and provide reassurance for myself with these thoughts, but still...I wonder if I really am in control?

That detective is constantly on my mind. Constantly taking up residence in my thoughts. I am always drawn to him, whether he is fighting against my creations or simply exploring the world I create. How is it that he is able to have this power? How is it that he clouds my own mind with thoughts of him?

The elevator finally stops and pulls me from my spiraling thoughts.

I'm going to make my presence known to Sebastian; I know he can feel my eyes on him just past the doors of the elevator. And he’s trying oh so hard to see the thing stalking him beyond his vision. I don’t make him wait long.

I walk towards him, coming forth from the darkness of the shadows that I’m always watching from. Instantly, his guard is up. Futile.

“Who do you think you are?” I utter lowly. He doesn’t reply quickly enough for my liking and irritation floods my senses.

“I know who you are, S _eb_.” I don’t know why the nickname is on my tongue, but it sounds right and comes easily.

In an instant, I pry the doors of the elevator clean from their hinges with my will. Sebastian flinches back, fear clear in his movement. But I press closer.

“I know what you crave, what you fear...” I say as I stop in front of him; the object of my obsession, _my_ craving,  a mere foot away from me. I have Sebastian backed up against the wall of the elevator now. His face so serious as he looks into my own. “Will you be able to live with yourself knowing what I’m going to make you do? Poor little Joseph couldn’t…”

The words flow freely from my mouth, but I hardly pay attention to what I’m saying. I’m far too busy. I’m too focused on the curve of his jaw, of the way his eyes look hard yet unsure in the dim lighting, of how close he is to me. I think of how he ended up so near to me in the first place and of the people who sent him here.

“Too bad they dragged you into this. But either way…”

“You’re **_mine_**. To do with as I please.” I say right into his face with a smirk before disappearing from his sight. 

Once I'd said it I understood I did it to reassure myself more than anything else. I had to say it - for my own sake. 

Its the truth anyway, isn't it?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I have a thing for nice cinematic moments involving Ruvik, and I love the swing scene in the game play soooo...
> 
> On another note, I've gone back and edited this and the last chapter. Nothing major that you'd have to reread.


End file.
